What role does packaging play in the future of cannabis?

In this episode of The Canna Connect Show, Steven Eigenmann sits down with Mark Carlson of The John Roberts Company to talk about the intersection of packaging, branding, entrepreneurship, and Minnesota cannabis culture.

After decades working in printing and packaging across markets like Colorado, California, Oregon, and Washington, Mark witnessed firsthand how cannabis evolved into a billion-dollar industry and how packaging became a major part of compliance, branding, and customer experience.

The conversation explores:

• Cannabis packaging and compliant branding
• Minnesota’s growing hemp-derived THC beverage market
• Why packaging matters in a competitive cannabis industry
• Leadership lessons from athletics and business
• Mentorship, trust, and relationship-building
• Supporting small cannabis businesses
• The evolution of print and packaging technology

Mark also reflects on his time at the University of Minnesota, learning from leaders like Tony Dungy and Mike Shanahan, and why trust remains the foundation of both business and leadership.

The Canna Connect Show highlights the builders, innovators, and community leaders helping shape Minnesota cannabis from the ground up.

Chapter Markers

00:00 Disclaimer
00:45 Introducing Mark Carlson of The John Roberts Company
01:00 Minnesota Cannabis Growth & Hemp Beverage Packaging
02:55 Early Exposure to Cannabis Packaging Through Heidelberg
04:20 Watching Cannabis Markets Grow Across the U.S.
05:40 Why Packaging Matters in Cannabis Branding
06:35 Supporting Cannabis Businesses Through Print & Packaging
07:45 Joining The John Roberts Company After 34 Years
09:25 Growing Up in Chicago & Winning a State Championship
11:20 Leadership Lessons from Sports & Business
12:00 Tony Dungy, Recruitment & the Big Ten
14:25 Mike Shanahan & Coaching Leadership
16:30 Athletics, Business & Life Lessons
18:20 How Printing & Media Have Changed
19:00 Leadership, Mentorship & Building Trust
22:00 75 Years of The John Roberts Company
23:00 Packaging for Minnesota Cannabis Brands
24:00 Why Customer Service Still Wins
25:00 Hemp Beverages Are Exploding in Minnesota
25:30 The Future of Cannabis Packaging & Regulation

What does it actually take to bank a cannabis business in Minnesota?

In this episode of The Canna Connect Show, Stephen Eigenmann talks with Brandon Padget, Chief Deposit Officer at Union Bank & Trust, about the realities of cannabis banking and the infrastructure needed to support a growing legal market.

Brandon shares the story behind Union Bank & Trust’s approach to cannabis, why their team believes banking should be accessible for entrepreneurs, and how thoughtful financial systems can help businesses grow sustainably.

The conversation explores:

• Cannabis banking compliance
• Supporting cannabis entrepreneurs in Minnesota
• Banking fees and financial accessibility
• Workforce development and union values
• Building long-term cannabis careers
• The role of community partnerships
• Cannabis as a professional and skilled industry

This episode offers an inside look at one of the least understood but most important parts of the cannabis industry: access to financial services and the people working to make that access better.

The Canna Connect Show highlights the builders, advocates, entrepreneurs, and organizations shaping Minnesota cannabis culture from the ground up.

#CannaConnectMN #MinnesotaCannabis #CannabisPodcast #CannabisBanking

The cannabis industry in Minnesota is evolving quickly, and behind every cultivation facility is a major conversation about energy, infrastructure, and long-term sustainability.

In this episode of The Canna Connect Show, Stephen Eigenmann is joined by Tony Beman of the Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) to explore how cannabis businesses can reduce costs through lighting rebates, energy-efficient systems, and smarter facility planning.

Tony shares insights on:

• LED lighting rebates for cannabis businesses
• Why energy infrastructure matters more than most operators realize
• Real estate challenges facing Minnesota cultivators
• The economics of cannabis cultivation
• How Xcel Energy programs support microbusinesses
• Long-term planning for cannabis entrepreneurs
• Why efficient grow design can dramatically improve runway and profitability

This conversation offers a practical look at the business side of cannabis and the systems helping shape Minnesota’s emerging market.

The Canna Connect Show highlights the people, businesses, and conversations building Minnesota cannabis culture from the ground up.

#CannaConnectMN #MinnesotaCannabis #CannabisPodcast

Minnesota cannabis is no longer just an idea. It’s becoming a real industry in real time.

In this special episode of The Canna Connect Show, Stephen Eigenmann sits down with Don Raleigh III of Evolve Payment to talk about the evolution of cannabis in Minnesota ahead of the Evolving the Industry event happening May 14th at The Minneapolis Club.

Together, they discuss:

• the rapid growth of Minnesota cannabis
• why compliant payment systems matter
• the hidden costs of cash-heavy operations
• NECANN and the importance of industry collaboration
• cannabis banking challenges
• what operators should know about payment compliance
• how Minnesota cannabis is becoming more mainstream

The conversation also highlights the importance of community, relationships, and celebrating the operators building this industry from the ground up.

If you’re working in cannabis, curious about the future of the market, or planning to attend NECANN week in Minneapolis, this episode captures a unique snapshot of where the industry stands today and where it’s heading next.

🎧 Presented by Canna Connect and Evolve Payment.

📍 Evolving the Industry
May 14, 2026
The Minneapolis Club
4:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Grab tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1985763963470

Elizabeth Sage’s cannabis story starts long before the Ganjier Guild.

In this episode of The Canna Connect Show, we sit down with Elizabeth live from Lucky Leaf to talk about cannabis beverages, hemp regulation, product quality, education, and how the industry is evolving.

We discuss:

• THC drinks and mainstream adoption
• Why cannabis quality goes beyond THC percentage
• Hemp vs marijuana regulation
• Cannabis as a harm reduction alternative to alcohol
• Elizabeth’s path from corporate consulting into cannabis
• The creation of the Ganjier Guild and cannabis education movement

This is one of the broader conversations we’ve had about where cannabis culture and infrastructure are heading next.

Cannabis in Minnesota isn’t just about business.

It’s about people, culture, and creating something that reflects the community it serves.

In this episode, recorded live at Lucky Leaf Expo, we sit down with the team behind NativeCare to talk about what it means to build with intention in a new market.

Terrell Charnoski and Shyanne McDaniel share their perspective on launching in Minnesota, the importance of representation, and how NativeCare is approaching cannabis differently.

This isn’t just about opening doors. It’s about doing it the right way.

We talk about:

• What NativeCare is building in Minnesota
• The role of culture and community in cannabis
• Navigating a brand new market as it unfolds
• Why collaboration matters more than competition right now

As the industry grows, the voices shaping it matter.

This is one of those voices.

Listen in and stay connected with the community.

Before products hit shelves, before brands grow, before consumers ever walk into a store, there’s a system behind it all.

This episode pulls back the curtain.

Recorded at Lucky Leaf Expo, we sit down with Chad Stout and Brock Friesen to talk about Tokahe Distribution and the broader ecosystem being built through Prairie Island’s cannabis operations.

From cultivation to manufacturing to distribution, this is one of the most ambitious vertically integrated efforts in Minnesota.

And it’s happening in real time.

We get into:

• Building a cannabis operation across multiple business units
• The reality of scaling from startup to full organization
• How tribal cannabis is entering and shaping the state market
• The challenges of compliance, logistics, and distribution
• Why timing matters when launching in a new market

This conversation captures what it looks like to build the infrastructure of an industry while it’s still forming.

Minnesota cannabis is coming to life, and distribution is a big part of that story.

Listen in and stay connected with the community.

Sometimes the best opportunities are the ones you never planned for.

In this episode of The Canna Connect Show, we sit down with Teresa Sorensen, founder of Unwind, to talk about how a 33-year career in banking unexpectedly led her into Minnesota’s cannabis industry.

What started with THC beverages selling quickly inside her liquor store turned into something much bigger. As regulations changed and consumer demand grew, Teresa saw an opening to build a new kind of retail experience centered around relaxation, education, and a different relationship with adult beverages.

That vision became Unwind.

In this conversation, Teresa shares what it was like to pivot from traditional banking into entrepreneurship, navigate a fast-changing market, and build a cannabis retail brand in real time.

We also discuss:

• The early THC beverage boom in Minnesota
• Why consumers are seeking alternatives to alcohol
• Transitioning from corporate leadership into cannabis
• Building a brand around lifestyle and wellness
• What it takes to adapt in an emerging industry

This is a story about paying attention, trusting your instincts, and building when opportunity shows up.

Listen in and stay connected with the community.

Join the conversation: #CannaConnectMN